U.S. stocks lower at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.17%

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were lower after the close on Tuesday, as losses in the Technology, Oil&Gas and Consumer Services sectors led shares lower.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.17%, while the S&P 500 index lost 0.60%, and the NASDAQ Composite index declined 0.92%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT), which rose 3.23% or 5.50 points to trade at 175.86 at the close. Meanwhile, Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) added 2.32% or 1.01 points to end at 44.52 and Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) was up 2.21% or 1.31 points to 60.70 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), which fell 2.54% or 8.17 points to trade at 313.74 at the close. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) declined 2.24% or 4.20 points to end at 183.44 and Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was down 1.94% or 2.16 points to 109.44.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) which rose 12.61% to 124.42, Conagra Brands Inc (NYSE:CAG) which was up 4.67% to settle at 28.48 and Bath&Body Works Inc. (NYSE:BBWI) which gained 4.32% to close at 47.36.

The worst performers were Expeditors International of Washington Inc (NYSE:EXPD) which was down 6.88% to 115.62 in late trade, Albemarle Corp (NYSE:ALB) which lost 6.34% to settle at 114.82 and JB Hunt Transport Services Inc (NASDAQ:JBHT) which was down 5.65% to 199.73 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Pop Culture Group Co Ltd (NASDAQ:CPOP) which rose 171.32% to 7.19, Trxade Group Inc (NASDAQ:MEDS) which was up 98.04% to settle at 9.09 and Monopar Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:MNPR) which gained 95.27% to close at 0.67.

The worst performers were MicroCloud Hologram Inc (NASDAQ:HOLO) which was down 75.27% to 16.41 in late trade, RAPT Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:RAPT) which lost 73.55% to settle at 6.87 and Sientra Inc (NASDAQ:SIEN) which was down 29.56% to 0.21 at the close.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1764 to 1091 and 80 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2247 fell and 1229 advanced, while 108 ended unchanged.

Shares in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) rose to 52-week highs; up 12.61% or 13.93 to 124.42. Shares in Bath&Body Works Inc. (NYSE:BBWI) rose to 52-week highs; up 4.32% or 1.96 to 47.36. Shares in Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) rose to all time highs; gaining 3.23% or 5.50 to 175.86. Shares in RAPT Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:RAPT) fell to all time lows; down 73.55% or 19.10 to 6.87.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 4.83% to 15.42.

Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.58% or 11.75 to $2,035.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April fell 1.68% or 1.32 to hit $77.14 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 1.30% or 1.09 to trade at $82.47 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.29% to 1.08, while USD/JPY fell 0.06% to 150.02.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.20% at 103.97.